Chris Kamara's visit to CoMS

Including 'amusing' predictable reference to The Colin Bell Stand and dreadul joke about the 'new' Turkish manager...

West Ham preview

Where and when:

Upton Park, Saturday 30th December 2006. 3pm kick off.

Current form:

Our recent slide was arrested with an important win away at Sheffield United on Boxing Day, and the fact that it was away from home was a particularly good sign. To temper this slightly, let's not forget our form before this game was as bad as it's been for some time - but we should take confidence from the fact we were able to eke out a win when it's fair to say we weren't at our best. Alan Curbishley has been in charge at West Ham for three games now and collected the full set of results - a win against United and the draw with Fulham before falling at home to Portsmouth on Boxing Day.

Current form at Upton Park does not look good for us as West Ham have won five and drawn one of the past six encounters.

Team news:

With Joey Barton's appeal being turned down we face somewhat of a midfield crisis as he joins Reyna and Hamman on the sidelines. Micah Richards is expected to move into midfield in the 'Barton role'. It may be that Pearce drafts in an extra striker or pushes Vassell further forward and starts with Ishmael Miller on the left.

Like Barton, Paul Konchesky failed with his appeal so George McCartney should deputise for him. Captain Nigel Reo-Coker also misses out through suspension. So far under Curbishley, the Argentinian duo of Tevez and Mascherano have not been key components in his side so expect to see them on the sidelines once again.

Keys to the game:

With the 1-0 win at Sheffield United, we have stretched our winning streak when scoring first to six games. Added to this is West Ham allowing the opposition to score first fourteen times this season, so the first goal will be vital and in as tight a game as I expect it to be could even win the game. If Richards does indeed play in midfield he will need to have a big game as we do look a little lightweight in that department. With an out of form strike force Stephen Ireland's advanced role could again be crucial in linking midfield and attack with his creativity.

City link:

Plenty of players have moved between the clubs in the past - Mark Ward, Trevor Morley, Ian Bishop and David James to name a few. Of the current squads, if fit Trevor Sinclair would have faced his former club.

Why City will win:

Micah Richards will control the game in midfield - sparking even more transfer speculation, we will snatch an early goal and defend well to hold onto the points.

Why City will lose:

One step forwards, one step backwards syndrome. After a positive result on Boxing Day we will undo the good work by dropping points to a side we could put some distance between.

Prediction:

West Ham 1 City 1

From a concerned fan

As well as the comments that get posted up on the site (keep them coming by the way), from time to time I also receive a number of emails as well.

I received one in particular which I thought would be worth sharing with the rest of you out there, so having agreed that I could post it up here it is:


For as long as I have been aware of City fanzines I have been pretty much obsessed by them. I started buying all the ones available when I was around 13 or 14 and thought the mixture of irreverence, foul mouth ranting and well written analysis was a great read, even more so for a young teenager always impressed with an unnecessary bit of swearing.

Over the years these publications have come and gone, some have stood the test of time (King of the Kippax) whilst others are seemingly gone and sadly missed (Chips and Gravy), but all of them provide, or have provided an outlet for frustrated fans and an opportunity for others to read about and sympathise with like-minded souls. Not everything you read will be to you taste but it’s a fanzine, you accept that this is one person’s view and move on without getting too irate about it.

I always fancied myself as a bit of a fanzine writer but didn’t really know where to start. I enjoyed reading City ‘til I Cry and started writing letters to the Ed which he kindly printed, after that the letters became articles and then he kindly gave me my own column.

In recent times I have not contributed as much as I would have liked for a variety of reasons, namely increased pressure at work, the purchase of my first house and the lack of much to talk about on the field. I don’t want to go over old ground and I am acutely aware that I have made it known that I do not rate the manager, most of the players, the Chairman and the majority of the Manchester City board and, with so little else to write about, I don’t want every article to ram these points home again and again.

I think back to a lot of my early articles which were printed during the Royle era and, eventhough I was not a massive Royle fan, a lot those articles were extolling the virtues of being a match going City fan. It’s easy for me to forget how much I loved being in the North Stand surrounded by rabid Blues all making a marvellous din and winding the opposition fans up. The bar at half-time was borderline unsafe but who gave a fuck? I was with my mates and I was having a laugh. It was how football was supposed to be.

How times have changed.

Where in the past I would defend City against anyone at any cost, I now find myself telling non-Blues or non-match going Blues how shit the club is at present. In the past I would always hark back to the Division Two days as an example of how great the fans were in adversity and how much better we were in comparison with the Geordies.

The support we got in that season will never be bettered by any club in my opinion but do you really think we would equal those crowds in The Championship next season? It’s arguable but I seriously doubt it. If it wasn’t for a bit of ‘creativity’ with the attendance figures this season (season ticket holders being counted despite them being in the boozer…allegedly) I think you might find that the attendances for the Middlesbrough and Fulham games were actually less than the home game against Macclesfield in the 3rd tier of the English game. So what do you think we’d be able to muster after another relegation this season? Frightening.

So what’s happened? Why have people who stuck by City through some gruesome times suddenly had enough when we are seemingly better off than many previous seasons (nice ground, in the top-flight, England internationals in the side, Academy products in the side)? Quite simply, City fans don’t feel a part of the club anymore. Now it’s easy to pin the blame on the new stadium but it isn’t that. When the club won’t even give the fans an input into the style of the away kit or they insist on charging full wack for a League Cup game against Arsenal reserves (that should NEVER be forgotten by the way) then you know there’s a problem.

It is not difficult to build some bridges between the club and the fans but the current regime has kept us at arm’s length throughout its tenure and is now paying the price for it. More and more people are considering life without a season ticket and with football so accessible through foreign TV channels in this day and age, it’s isn’t really that much of a sacrifice anymore. So if there aren’t some serious reductions in season tickets in March the average crowds next season, even if we stay in the Premiership, could be around the 25, 000 mark. You might think that preposterous but let’s have a look at the facts. The hardcore we had at City was around the 30 000 mark and I think we took this 30 000 with us to the new stadium and the crowds were bolstered by the ‘new breed’ to around 45 000. Now the crowds are plummeting and I initially thought we could depend on the 30 000 to always be there but now I’m not so sure. People are seriously disillusioned with City and the modern game as a whole and lads and families who have renewed without a second’s thought in the past are wondering if the financial outlay, which is significant for most, is really worth it, and I really don’t think a figure of 5000 ‘regulars’ not renewing is wide of the mark.

If happy clappys take the opinion that “We’re better off without them!” then they deserve a slap. These people made the club and if they decide to turn their back on the club something is badly wrong with the way it is being run and the way they, as paying customers, are being treated. They should not be sarcastically waved goodbye but they should intercepted by the Chairman himself, sat down in his plush office, given a large brandy and asked for their opinions on where he and his colleagues are going wrong. We are not a club where if one person goes he will be replaced by another. When they’re gone they’re gone, because believe me, we are not Boro or Villa fans who come and go as they please from one week to the next, it’s all or nothing with us. Those crowds in the Div. Two were not just driven by loyalty, it was also stubbornness, a stubbornness that meant that we weren’t going to be driven away by a football team that was not really worthy of our support. However, this stubbornness will also lead to many walking away, and refusing to come back come what may.

So in this current climate what do the Club, in its infinite wisdom, manage to do? They decide to ruin the relationship between Club and fans even further by taking umbrage at an article on an independent City website and threatening legal action against the website and the author of the piece. Genius. As I’ve been tapping away on my computer criticising every man and his dog I’ve often wondered if the club reads the fanzines and if, if exception was taken, they would consider legal action.

Yet I’ve always assumed that even if they do read the articles, they take the opinion that these fans are letting off steam and, naively, I thought that they might even pick up some tips on where they are going wrong. How wrong could I be? It now appears that the club is spoiling for a fight and doesn’t care who it is with. This is potentially the single most damaging thing the club has done in my eyes in recent memory. I am absolutely seething and I wasn’t even involved!! How dare they stifle the free speech of a support that has actually been relatively supportive of the current board despite its arguable incompetence in running the club. I know, I know, “£20m of his own money blah blah blah…” but as SoulBoyftr stated brilliantly on Manchesteronline about this matter,(to paraphrase) “If I give my son £100 and he decides to spend it on drink or drugs and I don’t monitor the situation and check what he’s doing with it, does that make me a good parent?” Do you see the link?

So if this is now the sign of things to come and the club is going to start censoring the thoughts of writers on City’s independent websites and in City’s fanzines then that’s fine gentleman, but if you want a fight, you’ll get a fight. A lot of these people contributing to these sites and publications are intelligent and in some cases very influential people. If steam can’t be let off in this manner than there are other ways, and I don’t really think mass demonstrations outside the ground are going to look too good to prospective purchasers are they? I realise that this means that the current board and Chairman would remain for the foreseeable future but I have never asked for the resignation of the Chairman because I realise how much the club owe him financially and it isn’t that easy for him to just step down. All I’ve asked for in recent years is that the club is run better, and surely the expert business minds on the board can manage this? I don’t particularly want a foreign owner because following the club might well become even less enjoyable at present. It’s a tricky situation which might well become a hopeless situation if things aren’t altered at the top very quickly.

I wrote to the Chairman towards the end of last season to make him aware of the current disillusionment of City fans with the Club and the way it is being run. The letter was not abusive and I considered the criticism constructive. I was not considered worthy of even an acknowledgement in reply. All that I got in response to my letter, and no wonder countless others, was an ‘interview’ with messrs Makin and Wardle on the official club site addressing fans’ concerns soon after. This was quite a lengthy article but to summarise;

“I’m a Blue, he’s a Blue. We’ve pumped a lot of money into this club and never took a penny out of it. Leave us alone.”

It didn’t really address any of my concerns to be honest.

The club is now in a serious mess. Conceivably, in January Barton, Richards and Distin may all leave and if this happens we will go down. We might even go down if just Distin goes but the fact we are in another relegation fight speaks volumes. The majority of professional staff at the club, both playing and non-playing (including in the board room ) are either not doing their jobs properly or are not capable of doing their jobs properly. One example; how was the decision to let Riera and Musampa go made? This is how it should have gone;

SP “I think we can do better on the left than those two.”
JW “Fair comment. You got some options lined up? We need a definite as back-up because we don’t want to start the season without a left-sided player?”
SP “We’re looking at three lads and one will definitely come but I think one of them is a better player and he’s our priority.”
JW “Ok, but make sure we’re not panic buying at the last minute because that would smack of complete amateurism on our part.”
SP “No problem. I’ll sort it.”

Yet this is how it appears to have gone;

SP “I think we can do better on the left than those two.”
JW “So do I.”
SP “Any ideas?”
JW “Nope. You?”
SP “Not really.”
JW “Ah well. Just let them go anyway, I’m sure something will sort itself out.”

Hence the arrival of DeMarcus Beasley who is no better than Musampa or Riera and, whilst not being the greatest, at least they were available for selection most weeks!!!

It’s all about making the right decisions and the people in charge of the club continually make the wrong ones. I can only hope the new prospective ‘owners’ are;
1) Not imaginary
2) Better than the current ones
3) Not raving Communists unable to handle a bit of criticism from their ‘People’.

Ah well. Onwards and upwards. Yeah right.


If anyone else has anything to get off their chest, feel free to drop me a line at bitterandblue@hotmail.co.uk

Barton loses appeal

Sky Sports have just reported that Joey Barton has lost his appeal against his sending off during the Bolton game. His three-match ban will come into effect immediately.

Distin 'turns down' new deal

The Guardian reported today that Sylvain Distin has turned down a new contract offer from the club which would have seen him become the highest paid player at the club with a believed weekly wage of £40,000 - and that he is holding out for around £50,000 a week, which the Guardian claims 'will almost certainly see him leave'.

This has been refuted by the club who have stated:

“He’s not recently turned a contract offer down from
us. We’ve been talking to Sylvain for a year and a half in regard to his
contract.
“He still enjoys playing his football here, you’ve only got to
look at his form to see that.
“I honestly believe he will end up signing a
new contract. Whether that is tomorrow, next week or in the summer when his
contract actually finishes and he has to make a decision one way or the other, I
still feel he will be a Manchester City player.”

Inevitably the opening of the January transfer window will again bring speculation about Distin's future - especially (as seems likely) he will not sign a deal before the end of the window, and perhaps I'm playing to the speculation here a little but could Pearce's comments about having an abundance of centre-halves at the club loosen his resolve to necessarily keep him at the club at all costs?

Pearce denies Chelsea approach for Richards

Amidst some strong reports that Chelsea have (or are set to) make an approach for Micah Richards, Stuart Pearce has moved swiftly to deny the clubs have spoken about the player - although he did confirm he has been in touch with Chelsea regarding the possibility of a move for their players:

What Pearce did point (and quite justifiably) was that as opposed to when Shaun Wright-Phillips was sold the club do not necessarily need the money as the overall debt has become more manageable over the past eighteen months - although I'm sure certain aspects of the club would welcome an extra £20 million into the coffers.

Chelsea's need for defensive reinforcements is obvious looking at the goals they have conceded this season - although I believe much of this has to do with the loss of Petr Cech, and this has been even moreso given the likelihood of the prolonged absence of John Terry.

But would Chelsea see Richards as an immediate answer to defensive problems rather than a long-term prospect? For a fee of £20 million surely they would be able to go out and sign a more ready made defender, someone who has been established in the game and comes with a great more experience than Richards does?

Although the rumours have been around before and it don't forget that the transfer window is due to open again in a couple of days time which gets the hacks sharpening their pencils, it is potentially worrying that reports are being carried so heavily by the likes of the BBC and Sky.

Get ready to start counting down the days in January.

Sheffield United 0 City 1

I had a feeling we would get something at either Sheffield United or West Ham, and all three points from the boxing day clash sets us up nicely for the trip to the capital where if we can come away with a point (or more) it will be a nice return from two games which were tricky on paper.

I caught the game listening on Radio Sheffield, and even given that it was the home commentary it did not sound a game where we really exerted a great deal of control, and their commentary team were almost in disbelief when Stephen Ireland put us ahead - a goal which of course won us all three points.

Reports in the press following the game were not in the main overly encouraging from a performance perspective and Andrew at purelymancity does a nice job rounding up the reports - and lays into Stuart Pearce's managerial approach a little as well.

I was interested in the formation that was adopted by Pearce for the game and feel it could be one that brings out the best in some of the players we have - namely Onouha more central, Dabo in a holding role and of course allowing Stephen Ireland a more advanced role which frees him up to exert more of the undoubted creativity that he has.

Playing this formation though requires a strong performance from the front man, and by all accounts Corradi had somewhat of a shocker, with Samaras not faring much better - although it was a cute chest down for Ireland's finish.

A good win overall, a welcome three points and helps us put a bit of breathing space between ourselves and the drop zone, but as usual we need to guard against falling back a step again in the next game and Pearce needs to challenge the side to actually put back to back wins together.

The Premiership at half-way

At the half-way point of the season, I thought it wise to have a quick review of the season so far, and how I expect the second half to pan out.

The teams are listed by current league position (prior to the Boxing Day fixtures) and the figures in brackets are how I predicted them to finish overall in my season preview:

Manchester United (4)
Have not only kept pace with Chelsea, but are maintaining distance between themselves and the current Champions. Have their key players in form and have not suffered from injuries. Look set to make a real run at the title.

Chelsea (1)
Have not had things entirely their own way this season and have been faced with some key injuries. In a different position having to chase for the title but they have eked out some crucial victories in recent games to keep on the heels of United.

Liverpool (2)
Like last season, started this campaing poorly which has all but ended their title hopes. Recent form is strong and Champions League qualification should be a given, but it would be a miracle if they were to have a shout at the title.

Arsenal (4)
Has been a hit and miss season for the Gunners, and they have struggled at times in adapting to their new home whilst away defeats have hit them hard. The emergence of Adebayor has been a plus but they need to show more consistency if they are to guarantee a top four place.

Bolton (14)
I thought they would struggle this season, but apart from a small dip in form they have been the same old Bolton, with an extra dimension to their game with Anelka in their line-up. With a bit of backing in the January window they could challenge hard for a Champions League spot.

Portsmouth (13)
Home form has been superb this season and they signings Redknapp made have all paid dividends - Kanu, James and Campbell in particular. I expect their bubble to burst at some stage but a UEFA position may not be out of the question.

Tottenham (5)
Like Liverpool, a poor start cost them but they have begun to show some form of late. Have a strong squad and some very good youngsters coming through but their away record is costing them from breaking into the top four.

Everton (6)
Andy Johnson has fitted in well to the side and by and large they have coped with the loss of Cahill. Appear on the fringes of Europe but David Moyes may feel that they could have done better over the first-half.

Reading (18)
Tipped to go down by myself, they have emerged as this seasons Wigan. A great start to the season has tailed slightly but although they have lost more than they have won, wins keep sides up in the Premiership and they have enough to be well placed at this stage.

Aston Villa (12)
The last few games have witnessed defeats and taken some of the gloss off the start made under Martin O'Neill. He has in the main made them harder to beat, but their squad still appears light and lacking in experience. The January window could be a key time.

Newcastle (7)
Have turned things round of late, but have (again) suffered terribly through injuries. Have performed well in Europe which may have been a hinderance early season but should be well placed for a top ten finish.

Fulham (17)
I thought they were in big danger of going down this season, but whilst they have had some bad results, they have pulled out enough results to reside in mid-table. A bad spell during the second-half could see them dragged into a struggle though.

Wigan (15)
Many changes in the squad from last time round and it took a little while to for the new faces to gel. Have had trouble scoring at times and will be looking over their shoulders at some of the sides below them.

Middlesbrough (11)
Gareth Southgate has struggled during his first season in charge and is facing some pressure, although he has been able to pull victories out when most needed. The squad has talent but can be inexperienced and could be another side whose away form costs them.

Manchester City (9)
Recent form has been a disaster and confidence around the club is low. The impressive home form has taken a hit, now winning less than half of the games whilst away form continues to be a problem. Could be a crucial ten game spell coming up.

Sheffield United (19)
Took a little while to adapt back in the top flight but have registered some key wins of late. As ever, it will be wins that keep sides up and it may be that they don't have enough in the squad. However, they are currently out of the bottom three and a good spell could take them clear.

Blackburn (10)
Despite the loss of some key players (namely Craig Bellamy), it is a surprise to me they have struggled so much and have yet to string a run of results together. They could be under pressure if the bottom three start to get things together.

West Ham (8)
A turbulent season after being so succesful last time round. Two Argentinians, a takeover and Pardew's sacking later Alan Curbishley takes over and they should be strong enough to start moving away from the drop zone.

Charlton (16)
A disaster of a season and with Pardew's appointment are now on their third manager of the season, having axed both Dowie and Reed early on. Pardew has a big job on his hands but a new guy in charge can herald a change in fortunes - something they desperately need.

Watford (20)
Right where I thought they would be. Have an uncomplicated style to grind out results but do not have the quality to string the wins together to stay up. Will work hard and keep plugging away but will be the first to go down this season.

Merry Xmas

Just a quick post to wish all of you Bitter & Blue readers a merry Christmas.

Hope you all have a good one and I'll be back up posting on the 27th or 28th where hopefully it will be following a welcome three points on Boxing Day.

City 0 Bolton 2

If the general mood following the Tottenham game was of a sombre nature, then an air of despondancy must have been all around last night after yesterday's defeat left us very much in the thick of trouble with not a great deal in the way of answers to signal a turnaround in our current fortunes.

A double from Nicolas Anelka (inevitably) condemned us to a second successive home defeat and is making the supposed superb home form a distant memory, and in doing so provided a reminder of the quality that he has and how much his goals have been missed since his departure.

It is true that we didn't have a great deal of help from Mike Riley, as he turned down two good penalty appeals and ruled against us in Dickov's claim that his header had crossed the line but it is difficult to win games against a side like Bolton without gift-wrapping both goals to them.

Once the second goal went in, I doubt that there was anyone in the ground who believed that we could conceivably haul ourselves back into the game - and so it proved. You cannot fault the effort of the players out there, but they look woefully short on confidence and ideas to get out of the predicament they are in.

Save for Joey Barton (yet again), there didn't seem anyone willing to put their foot on the ball and actually create something and the 'tactic' of hitting long balls to two small front men beggars belief. Barton's dismissal of course rules him out of the next three games (subject to appeal) and is difficult to see us getting something in either of the two upcoming games. The danger will be if we slip into the bottom three as psychologically it becomes difficult to get out and you are constantly playing catch-up.

There are more calls for Pearce to go, at the very least to inject a change into the club and it will now be a test of his abilities to turn things around, but as it stands there don't appear he is able to provide too many answers. A lack of a viable alternative could be a problem for the board though if they are seriously considering a change.

The transfer window is upon us and it maybe that the club has to take a short term approach with it to guarantee Premiership survival which is so crucial this season more than any other. Pearce may not have much room to manoevere though, and his record in the transfer market is appearing poorer as time goes on. There are more rumours of a SWP for Richards swap today and it maybe that Pearce decides to roll the dice on such a move to try and spark something in the side.

If he can't spark something soon, then time could well be running out for him.

Reports:
The Independent
Football UK

Reaction:

"We have a scrap on our hands...what we cannot afford
to do is feel sorry for ourselves. We have had what we thought was a goal
disallowed and a player, we feel, wrongly sent off. But they are just excuses.
"We must roll our sleeves up and respond in the right
manner." - Stuart Pearce

Bolton preview

Where and when:

City of Manchester Stadium, Saturday December 23rd 2006. 3pm kick off.

Current form:

Bolton are searching for a hat-trick of wins, whilst we are seeking to avoid three defeats on the trot. After a spirited performance at Old Trafford we had the ineptitude of last Sunday against Tottenham and head into a crucial set of games.

Outside of the top two, Bolton - with nine victories boast the third best record in the division and are vying to get into third spot. Their defensive record is good and have as good a record as our scoring one is poor.

Team news:

Bernardo Corradi is still suspended and Didi Hamman is again on the injured list. Micah Richards and Claudio Reyna both face late tests but Ben Thatcher is expected to return following his ban.

For Bolton,El-Hadj Diouf is set to return for the suspended Kevin Davies.

Keys to the game:

Bolton's tactics may be uncompromising, but have proved both effective and succesful over the past couple of seasons. They will continue to get balls into attacking positions quickly - and although Kevin Davies will be absent, both Dunne and Distin need to get back to form as they will be ensured a busy afternoon.

For ourselves, it is imperative that the forwards show far more than they have done for the majority of the season. Their ineffectiveness is placing far too much pressure on Joey Barton and the rest of the midfield.

City link:

Nicolas Anenlka. A reminder of just how good a player he was for us.

Why City will win:

Last week aside our home record is good, and generally when the pressure has been on the team have responded with a positve result.

Why City will lose:

Bolton have registered a couple of good results against us in recent seasons, and are in the middle of some good form following a shaky spell.

Prediction:

City 1 Bolton 0.

Half-term report

As we head towards the half-way point of the season, I thought it well-timed to take a look at how the squad have fared over the first part of the campaign, and what to expect over the second-half of the season.

Goalkeepers:

Nicky Weaver - Again endorsed by Stuart Pearce this week, and no-one can doubt it is good to see him back playing again after his terrible injury problems, but appears suspect in some key areas and does not for me have the presence to be a genuine number 1.

Andreas Isaksson - His City career 'enjoyed' an injury-plagued beginning but having returned to full fitness found himself stuck on the bench. Showed a glimpse of his potential in the second-half of the derby and will be looking to start seeing meaningful action sooner rather than later.

Joe Hart - A solitary appearance for the goalkeeper of the future, but appears to have all the necessary tools to be a success. He looks to be ahead of Kaspar Schmeichel in the pecking order and may be loaned out in the near future to gain some more experience.

Defence:

Micah Richards - An outstanding campaign and a shoe-in for best player over the season so far. Playing well beyond his years and experience, he earned a full England debut against Holland and if anything perhaps we will come to expect too much of him.

Richard Dunne - For the most part he excelled alongside Distin, flourishing with the responsibility of the captaincy, but a shaky past couple of games have seen flaws appear in his game.

Sylvain Distin - Plenty of speculation prior to the season over a potential departure, but he rebounded with a superb start to the season. For Dunne's recent problems, also read Distin as he too has been uncharacteristically poor. Could be heading into the last part of his City career.

Ben Thatcher - Was almost booted out of the club following the Pedro Mendes incident, but returned to the side (largely thanks to Jordan's struggles) where he has been solid, if unspectacular but has established himself again as first choice.

Stephen Jordan - Fell off the radar following Thatcher's return due to some awful displays which drew Stuart Pearce's wrath. Appeared to be first choice heading into the season, but now faces a genuine battle to re-establish himself in the team.

Nedum Onouha - Another who missed the opening of the season, but has returned to the side on occasion. May now get another opportunity if Richards' injury sidelines him for any length of time, and more than anything needs a long run of games.

Matthew Mills - Another to feature in the Wigan debacle, and looked a little ill at ease (as did most to be fair) but he comes highly rated but it is unlikely he will see too much first team action this season, unless we are struck by injuries.

Midfield:

Joey Barton - Perhaps vying Richards for outstanding performer over the first half of the season, and at times is carrying the whole midfield. Has shaken off last seasons problems to force himself into the England reckoning, but transfer speculation is again being to circulate around him.

Trevor Sinclair - Was enjoying a relatively solid start to the season and linked well with Richards before his annual injury curse struck. In some respects we do miss the balance he does provide and could be the most viable option for the left-hand side.

Claudio Reyna - Has the potential to be a solid partner to Barton in the centre but has not overly impressed and it could be that time is fast running out on his City career. It may be unlikely that his contract is renewed at the seasons end.

Hatem Trabelsi - Another of Pearce's summer signings who struggled with injury at the beginning of the campaign. Looks technically to be a good player and is an option on the right hand. Rumours are though that he can be on his way if a 'big' club comes knocking.

Stephen Ireland - Has forced his way back into the reckoning in recent games and it may be time for Pearce to give him an extended run in the side. For me though, he is an effective player from the bench but I have doubts he is a ninety minute player.

Dietmar Hamman - Nothing short of a washout so far. Potentially can be the answer alongside Barton but upto now has only featured in fits and starts and looked well short. Hopefully the second half of the season will show an improvement.

Ousmane Dabo - Summer signings must equate to injury problems as Dabo has also suffered, and has been subject to rumours linking him with a move away from the club. Another one who needs to have a stronger second half.

DeMarcus Beasley - Signed as the answer to the left-hand side problems, but doesn't look to be a genuine 'wide man'. Again, injuries have stalled his progress but has added spark when he has been had an opportunity. Needs to show more to avoid the same fate as Rieira and Musampa.

Ishmael Miller - Another candidate for the left-hand side and possesses tremendous athletic ability, but looks to be still too raw to be around the first team and needs to spend some more time working on the finer points of his game.

Michael Johnson - A solitary performance against Wigan where he was one of the few to emerge with any credit. Looks to be a tidy player though and was rewarded with a long term deal, which should result in him knocking on the first team door.

Strikers:

Bernardo Corradi - Struggled to adapt to the Premiership and the side early on, but in recent times looked more comfortable. Won't be full of goals but could be a useful link-up man but needs to avoid silly dismissals.

Giorgios Samaras - A year into his City career and the doubters are growing more vocal as he has not delivered as hoped. He looks lightweight and yet to fully adapt to the Premiership. If he becomes a 'boo boy' target this could undermine his confidence.

Paul Dickov - Re-signed for a second spell and has polarised fan opinion, with many unconvinced by what is wholeheartedness actually contributes to the side. Yet to score this season, he is offering little in attacking threat.

Darius Vassell - Spent part of the early season unfit, and once he gained fitness saw himself shunted out onto the left hand side - where he has been willing but largely unsuccesful. A surprise that he has not been given more of an opportunity in a more central role.

Sounds of The City

I've only just come across this, but it looks to be something to see for all Blues who are quite musically minded as well.

A look at attendance figures

Andrew over at purelymancity takes a look today at the falling attendances seen at City (and the rest of the Premiership) this season, and finds some mitigating factors in explaining the drop in crowd numbers.

Five problem areas

I know from the comments section on my post following the Tottenham game that some of you feel I was a little harsh on the side, but for me this current side have problem areas that need to be resolved to avoid a second half of the season where we could become embroiled in a relegation battle.

For the record, I cannot see us going down but they are problem areas nonetheless which in my opinion are holding us back from kicking on and becoming a competitive side:

Nicky Weaver:
Had Isaksson been fit at the start of the season, I don't believe that Weaver would have started as first choice. Due to the length of time Isaksson was out for, and the fact that he put in solid, if unspectacular performances it allowed Weaver a prolonged run in the side.
The worry for me is that he won't 'win' us games in the manner that Jaskelainen did for Bolton at Villa on Saturday. He is a decent shot stopper, but worries me on crosses and his positional play and he doesn't have the presence for me that David James showed.

Distin-Dunne:
Solid as a rock for the majority of the season but for the last three games (since Watford) they have been all at sea. Dunne looks cumbersome and error-prone whilst Distin's concentration does not look good enough, resulting in basic mistakes. It has been commented upon that he is not interested as he has a move lined up in January. Hopefully this is not true, as my views on Distin as a player are well known, but this pairing - the bedrock of our home form this season, needs to return to the high standards they have set.

No help for Barton:
Perhaps the reason for much of the England and transfer focus on Joey Barton is the cast he is surrounded by. Granted, he is in a rich vein of form currently but it is almost as if he is running the midfield all by himself. Reyna has been ineffectual, neither Dabo or Hamman have been fit enough and the left-hand side problems still remain. It almost makes you pine for the return of Trevor Sinclair. Barton needs to be surrounded with more consistency as currently he is our only attacking outlet. Stephen Ireland has promise but I'm not convinced he can sustain the level of form needed.

Lack of goals:
The first half against Tottenham illustrated our problems in attack as a poor Samaras was partnered by Dickov - who should not have been re-signed, with Vassell floundering out on the left. Bernardo Corradi was of course suspended but looks the most willing of the four, yet rumours persist of a return to Italy in the transfer window. You can virtually count on one hand the number of goals our striking quartet have tallied this season.
Ironically, this weekend we come against Bolton and of course Nicolas Anelka. All those who booed him during his time at City should take a good look at just what a class player he was (and still is), then take a look at who we have lined up front.

Squad depth:
For as much criticism that Pearce is receiving, the squad isn't big enough to withstand the injuries we have suffered, or provide viable alternatives should he want to shake things up. Although the board have stated money will be available, he will be more likely rumaging for bargains in the January sales rather than splashing out with abandon.
Looking at the players he has brought in to the club though, most have not been unparalleled successes - especially this summers acquisitions who have mostly been injured and struggled to fit it into the side.
It is difficult to know who Pearce can bring into the squad, but perhaps it may be that he gambles more an a couple of younger, but hungrier lower league players as opposed to short-term fixes.

I generally have remained positive for the majority of the season, and in all likelihood we could well go and pull a victory out against Bolton on Saturday, but for me we have yet to get away from the 'one step forward, one step back' cycle shown during the course of this year, which has seen us stagnate as a side.

Smashing...

City 1 Tottenham 2

Apologies for not having time to get a preview up in time - you can click here for the one I did for The Observer.

The unbeaten home run comes to an end, but perhaps more disturbing was the manner in which it was surrendered, something that surely doesn't bode all that well as we approach the half-way mark of a season which suddenly looks to have a far more negative air about it than prior to Sunday's defeat.

I don't think it is a knee-jerk reaction to the Tottenham game, but it was noticeable that there was not a great deal of positivity in and around the ground. I won't harp on too much about the game as I'm a little later posting up than usual, but suffice to say it was a game of two halves - one half abysmal and one half poor. The team - quite rightly, have been slammed from all quarters (fans, manager, media and themselves) for the first half showing which was as bad as I can recall, but given some faint praise for coming out in the second half and giving it a go.

For me though, that had as much to do with Tottenham deciding the game was already in the bag, and concentrating more on that last bit of Christmas shopping they still had to get. The first half truly was awful. We were second to everything, could not control passes, allowed so much space and time to Tottenham that even a half decent side (which they are) would punish us.

And punish us they did. The first goal was poor defending all round, in that the defence allowed Davenport to win what should have been no more than a flick on, but Weaver's poor positional play saw the ball loop over him for a 1-0 scoreline. The second goal was symptomatic of our first half showing. Carved open by some free flowing football, a training ground pass was chipped across the edge of the box for Huddlestone (looks an improvement on Carrick for me) to drive home. Could their have been questions asked of Weaver?

Richards had already departed - clearly unfit, and Pearce withdrew the lamentable Samaras at the break. True, we did work harder and began to create a little more, but as usual the end product was not there due to a lack of quality. Barton - the only spark in midfield, managed to pull a goal back with a neat finish from Dickov's well placed cross.

We may well have had a penalty late on as well as Barton went down under a challenge from Malbranque. I wasn't convinced at the time, and having seen replays later, it would have been a 'generous' decision, and one which we may have seen us get something we really didn't deserve.
With other results over the weekend, we are now back looking over our shoulders - and following a tough encounter against Bolton this weekend, we have Sheffield United and West Ham - two teams who suddenly look 'on the up'.

A Merry Christmas?

Opposition view:
Harry Hotspur

Pearce harbouring European ambitions

Despite his side currently sitting in twelfth place in the Premiership, and with a couple of tricky games coming up over the Christmas period, Stuart Pearce has declared that even without additions to his squad it should be good enough to gain a European place come the end of the season:

“The way the league is at the moment, it’s a two-horse race
to win the Premiership. Beyond that, you’re going to have Liverpool and Arsenal
finishing third and fourth; I don’t know in which order.
“Beyond that,
I honestly feel it’s down to a bit of consistency. From fifth place downwards,
it’s open to anybody".

Whilst on the face of it it seems a far off achievement, it is something that could (and should?) be attained.

As Pearce says, the top-four positions are all but locked up. I believed that Tottenham would push them hard to claim fifth spot but have been inconsistent this season and are in a similar position to ourselves, which doesn't leave any outstanding candidates for the two UEFA places to be gained via league positions.

We are currently theee wins off fifth and sixth spot, but for me all the sides above us at the moment have either played above themselves (Portsmouth, Reading, Villa) or have been as inconsistent as ourselves (Everton, Wigan, Tottenham).

It may be that one of the surprise sides continue with their form over the first part of the season, or one of the inconsistent sides gets their act together but there is a chance for ourselves to make a go of it, and on paper (and maybe through blue-tinted specs) there aren't many sides outside of the top four that are stronger than ourselves.

The concern is our squad isn't strong in depth, and if we continue to be hit by injuries for the remainder of the season this will undoubtedly affect us.

But the major problem is of course one which has affected City since time began, and looking back over course of history has always been our downfall - consistency. And until we can put a consistent season rather than ten game spell together, we will continue to achieve no better than the mid-table position we currently reside in.

Barton set for England call?

Picked up by sections of the press yesterday were comments mde by England manager Steve McLaren (also coming on the heels of recent praise from Terry Venables) regarding the possibility that Joey Barton could be in line for an England call-up in the near future.

McLaren identified the midfielder as one of 'seven or eight' players who could make the leap into the squad:

"I tried to buy Joey when I was at Middlesbrough so
yes, he is a player who interests me," said McClaren. "He has had his troubles
but he has come through them and he is a player who has matured over the last
year."
McClaren was in Manchester at the weekend to see Barton do his best,
but ultimately fail, to engineer a first City derby win in 32 years at Old
Trafford.
"Joey is a leader," he said. "He has great character. You need
people like that, forthright people, not just on the field but off it as well."

How much the comments were merely a recognition of his recent form - and turnaround of his off-field fortunes, or an actual statement of intent that he is in his plans will probably only be seen when McLaren names his next couple of squads.

However, there is no doubt that Barton has improved - and matured as a player and person over the past eighteen months and his form does put him in the top section of English midfielders that are around at the moment. If Gerrard's move out to the right-hand side becomes permanent then potentially there could be an opportunity for him in the centre.

Behind Lampard, the current challengers appear to be the likes of Carrick and Jenas - and whilst they have only sporadically for England, neither can claim to have made a spot their own. Whilst Barton may have a lot to do to get into the England side, I do think it is conceivable for him to get into the squad - and as Micah Richards showed, once you get into a squad opportunities can come your way.

Corradi unhappy with Pearce?

Joey Baton has jumped to the defence of Bernardo Corradi following his second yellow card which resulted in his sending off at United last weekend.

Corradi's attempt to win a penalty earned him condemnation from the media - which were unsuprisingly quick to jump all over him, as if Corradi was the only played to have dived in the Premiership this season. In fact, the Drogba and Lehmann incident the following day seemed to attract only humour when both players blatantly dived in an attempt to get the other booked (or even sent off).

Pearce himself was quick to bring out his typical 'honesty' and said that he would be 'having words' with Corradi, although he has sinced toned this down to say he would be more educational than anything else.

Barton himself has said:

"Bernardo is an honest pro, and the one thing he isn't is a
cheat but there's got to be that consistency".

I tend to agree with Barton, and feel it was more an act of desperation to get back into the game than a blatant attempt at cheating, and Corradi himself spoke to the Italian press in which he defended himself and felt that Pearce could have done more to back him - and comes amidst rumours that his former side Chievo (struggling at the foot of Serie A) are interested in taking him back to the club:

"I have fallen after having overcome two rivals' legs which
have clipped me...the referee interpreted it in his way [seeing it as a dive]
but I do not understand Pearce's reaction."

Pearce's honesty is something that has been debated in the past, and many fans do feel that whilst it is in general an admirable trait, his tendency to 'call it as he sees it' does not always endear him to those same fans - and to his squad it seems.

Around the Blue world

In the aftermath of the derby, I thought I would take a look around at some of the reaction to the defeat and other issues that are being covered this week.

BlueWatch posts a little up about the derby but focuses more on the inflatable bananas spotted in the City section of the crowd...and one or two other items seen around Old Trafford.

Over at purelymancity there is a nice look at the potential shortlist for any takeover bid, whilst he also posts up his derby reaction.

BlueMoon touches on something that I posted about in looking at the injuries suffered by Nedum Onouha, and whether his return to fitness could see him return to the side and Micah Richards pushed into midfield.

The guys over at mcfcsupporterstrust have two interesting posts - one covering last weeks AGM whilst today their focus is on the annual State of the Game report.

And finally, Gavin who covers the reserves and academy so well has two posts this week covering victories for the under-18 side.

There aren't a whole host of City blogs and sites out there in comparison to some of the other clubs around, but I think there are some excellent ones out there and all seem to have their own identity in their style and areas they cover.

Taking a look at them from time to time is probably something I'll do more often.

United 3 City 1

An expected result perhaps, but not really a performance that many of us predicted. I anticipated a cautious set up from Stuart Pearce designed to stifle United, and relying on our defence to help shut out United in order to take something from the game.

However, when it goes wrong for our defence it goes very wrong indeed. Christmas came early at Old Trafford this year as messrs. Dunne and Distin combined in a big way to help gift wrap three goals and leave them under the tree for United's forwards to ensure they took all the points.

It was a shame as Dunne and Distin have been outstanding this season and it was an attacking performance that more than matched what United had to offer. Pearce surprised me by keeping faith with the side that drew at home to Watford the previous Monday rather than opting for a 4-5-1 formation, but no formation could do anything about the first goal after just five minutes.

A cross from Ronaldo resulted in an air shot from Distin, but unfortunately he got a decisive enough touch on it to take it out of Dunne's path straight to the grateful Rooney to slot home. Still, this seemed to galvanise a City side who decided to take the mantle to United rather than lie down like the majority of sides who visit Old Trafford.

We were grateful though for a poor first touch from Rooney when he was well set to put United 2-0 ahead, but we had some good chances through Richards (should we have had a penalty for Ferdinand's high foot?) and a good effort from Samaras. Time and again we had plenty of space going forward, but lacked the final bit of quality to pierce the United defence.

Heading in 1-0 down would have set us up for a good tilt at them after the break, but Trabelsi made a mess when he should have cleared then sold Dunne short with a backpass, leaving Heinze to cross for Saha to make it 2-0 at the break and leaving Nicky Weaver unable to return for the second half, being replaced by Isaksson for his City debut.

Again, we had chances in the second half with substitute Stephen Ireland (who replaced the 'ineffectual' Reyna) forcing a smart save from van der Saar, before Trabelsi atoned for his first half mistake by smashing home from just inside the box.

The scene was set for a final go at a United side - who in a bold move replaced Saha with O'Shea, but a mistake by Dunne in attempting to control a cross only served to tee up Ronaldo to seal the win.

As time was running out, Bernardo Corradi - in my opinion more in desperation than an outright attempt at cheating, fell to the ground and was yellow-carded for the second time and was sent off, a move which saw him criticised by Pearce in his post-match interview.

Concensus from both City and United fans I know tends to be that we gave them a good game, and did genuinely trouble them for large parts of the game, but you cannot expect to get anything when you gift goals that even FC United would have gleefully snapped up.

Plus points for me was the performances of Micah Richards and Andreas Isaksson, and I would hope that Isaksson gets a run at the number 1 spot as Weaver is still to fully convince me he is the long-term answer, whilst Richards needs to be moved into midfield to fully utilise his undoubted talent. A surprise also was the performance of Darius Vassell on the left. Although he has struggled at times out there, he gave Gary Neville trouble throughout the first-half before being switched to a more central role as the game wore on.

DeMarcus Beasley looks like he could be an asset coming off the bench late in a game, whilst Stephen Ireland showed enough to warrant a spell in the starting line-up, but Samaras and Reyna again struggled to impose themselves on the game.

It is ultimately disappointing though as we took nothing from a game where we had enough possession, territory and chances to get something from it. We now face a tricky spell of games against sides that typically we haven't fared well against and we can do without a poor run in terms of a return in points.

Although, I can't see that we will be in any relegation trouble it is vital we avoid getting sucked in at the bottom as once you did get dragged down there it is notoriously difficult to get out.

Match reports:
The Times
The Guardian
MEN

Takeover time?

This story is still shrouded in a little mystery, but seems to be gathering more momentum as the day goes on and I expect more to be revealed over the course of the weekend.

It broke early this morning with an announcement that the club were in discussion regarding serious investment into the club, but gave nothing more away. Could this have been a smokescreen ahead of the AGM to deflect what could have been a tricky time for the board?

Anyhow, as the day has worn on it seems that rather than just an investor coming on board, it could lead to a full takeover with John Wardle stating he could be ready to 'pass the baton on', and the BBC reporting a full takeover - from an individual, could happen with a bid of around £70 million being mooted.

Wardle is still keeping his cards close to his chest, saying "We are not yet in a position to disclose the identity of the possible investor" - although this does appear to back up reports it is an individual rather than a consortium.

There have been plenty of rumours and interest over the past couple of years with nothing of any substance bearing fruit, but although it may be some way off before completion I cannot imagine an announcement of this nature being made without anything fairly concrete already in place.

Expect more on this soon.

John Wardle's speech to the AGM earlier today.

United preview

Where and when:

Saturday 9th December 2006, Old Trafford.

Current form:

United's results have been pretty impressive in general this season - in particular winning six of eight at home. They are ahead of Chelsea in the league (and could go nine points clear) and whilst not setting the world alight they are getting the job done - something which hasn't been the case for the past couple of seasons.

Given the recent away woes it seems strange we are now chasing back to back victories, and whilst we have had a couple of frustrating home draws of late we are at least avoiding defeat and look fairly tight in defence.

We all know how long it is since we tasted victory at Old Trafford but United have only beaten us once in the last five encounters.

Team news:

I expect no surprises from Stuart Pearce, with a safety first 4-5-1 employed - with the only decision on whether to bring Hamman into the midfield or push Richards in a more advanced role, with Corradi the lone front man.

For United, no real surprises in the key positions I imagine - with choices such as Evra or Heinze to mull over for Ferguson.

Keys to the game:

The biggest key for me is us handling United's midfield. We need to cut out the creativity of Scholes who has returned to the side this season following a long period out, and Giggs and Ronaldo will see plenty of the ball. Our right-hand side looks well set with Trabelsi and either Richards or Onouha, but Ronaldo on the right could have plenty of success against Vassell and Thatcher.

Corradi will have a thankless task and will probably not receive a great deal of support except from Barton and Vassell, so expect him to have drop deep time and again.

Our best approach could be down the flanks and in this respect I would be tempted to keep Richards at right-back for him to make his forays forward.

Why City will win:

Our away form is on the whole poor, whilst United's home record is on the whole pretty good. However, as mentioned previously we have a solid record against them of late.

We have to win there sooner or later don't we?

Why United will win:

Because we never win there. Previously, we have ground out draws and on occasion been unlucky not to get all three points but United this year seem to have an extra determination to fight Chelsea all the way and won't want to slip up.

Prediction:

United 0 City 0.

Derby selection poser

The MEN today takes a look at the possibilities available to Stuart Pearce as he mulls over his selection and tactics ahead of Saturday's derby.

Although I'll take a more in depth look at the game later in the week, I cannot see too many surprises as I expect Pearce to line up with a similair 4-5-1 formation as we saw against Liverpool recently, with Corradi operating as a lone striker.

The only debate I guess will be whether to once again push Micah Richards into midfield with Nedum Onouha slotting in at right-back, although the temptation must be to possibly bring in Didi Hamman and leave Richards to go up against Giggs and Ronaldo.

Pair named in Actim Team of the month

Rewarded for their consisent performances throughout November, key players Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin have been named in the Actim Team of the month.

The Index, which bases their rankings on a range of statistical data rarely seems to feature any City players but highlights the quality that Barton and Distin have shown of late.

That's entertainment

Seems we weren't alone when I took a look at our scoring woes this season and predicted we could be on for a record low goals for tally as the excellent Paul Wilson in The Observer takes a look at The Premiership as a whole and it makes for interesting reading.

All Sports blog

Whilst I enjoy writing this blog I do have an interest in a number of other sports so with that in mind I've decided to set another blog up to give me the opportunity to write about some of these other sports.

I'm not sure how often I will get the chance to post up at this stage but hopefully it will be on a regular basis.

Go take a look...

City 0 Watford 0

The evening started well with a trip to the Christmas market in Albert Square prior to the game and very nice it was too. Well fed and watered from the various stalls dotted around the market we then preceeded to the ground, only to get stuck in traffic and then encounter a flat tyre en route.

Eventually getting to the ground around fifteen minutes late the fun for one evening was very much over as a 0-0 draw against a side who had won just one game previously this season was certainly not expected.

A surprise for me was the performance of Watford. Admittedly I've not seen a great deal of them this season but what I have caught they looked to have been a little unlucky in some games and was expecting a plucky side who knocked the ball around neatly.

However, they seem to have adhered to the mantra of 'percentage' football in a bid to escape the drop this season with an emphasis on powerful midfielders and long, direct balls into the opposing defence. Some credit must be given to them though as it was a tactic that unsettled our defence at times - and in particular Richard Dunne didn't have his most comfortable evening. Impressive for me though was the performance once again of Distin - who gave little away to the highly touted Ashley Young.

For much of the evening though it was a sense of frustration on our part, as the team (and midfield in particular) lacked a cutting edge and failed to convert posession and territory into too many quality chances. When we did carve out opportunities, the Watford keeper managed to pull off a couple of smart saves - from a Barton free-kick and Corradi snap shot being the pick, and he definitely improved through the course of the game after looking a little shaky on balls into the box early on.

I thought that until Hamman came on for the last ten minutes no-one was prepared to put their foot on the ball and actually seek out options . Too often, aimless balls were played more in hope than anything else and we conceded possession back to Watford far too often.

There was a late penalty shout when Corradi went down under a challenge when poised to shoot, but for me it was debatable if there was contact and it looked like he was looking for the penalty as opposed to hitting the target with any real conviction.

Although he may have got that decision correct, there were many that Mark Clattenberg got wrong during the game - Mahon of Watford was lucky to escape further punishment for a couple of poor challenges on Joey Barton, whilst too often he was quick to blow the whistle and was not helped by some inconsistent decision from his linesman.

One thing I pointed to in my preview was that I felt that Giorgios Samaras was due a big-game as for all the progress his partnership with Corradi had shown he needed goals, but it was a performance that offered little and too often he and Corradi appeared distant and uncohesive.

Watford will certainly be happier with the point they earned, and it was a hardly a result or performance to raise the confidence as we head into Saturday's derby at Old Trafford.

Reaction:

"We knew it was going to be tough, we did not
expect
them to turn up and roll over.
"We knew we had a fight on our
hands and
credit to them, we have to give them a bit of credit because they
are making it
tough for teams to beat them and are playing to the best of
their ability."
- Joey Barton on Watford's tactical approach.

"I think the first half we attacked very, very
well, we
played what Watford play at, we have put a few things right I
thought.
"The
second half, we had some defending to do, Man City were on
the up and we had to
make sure we defended and we did.
"I thought we
defended superbly well in
the second half. All in all, I think City are in
good form at the moment, so to
come here and get a point is good for
us."
- Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd.

Match reports:
The Times
Independent
Glory Horns

FA Cup 3rd Round draw

The FA Cup 3rd round draw was made earlier this afternoon and we have been handed what potentially could be a tricky away tie to Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday have been performing well of late under new manager Brian Laws and one text I received already said "I look forward to you explaining a sad, 3rd round Cup exit".

Full draw:

Blackpool v Aldershot/Basingstoke
Barnet v Colchester
Sheff Utd v Swansea
Reading v Burnley
Portsmouth v Wigan
Mansfield/Doncaster v Bolton
West Ham v Brighton
Leicester v Fulham
Derby v Wrexham
Wolves v Oldham
Bury/Chester v Ipswich
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Sheff Wed v Man City
Tamworth v Norwich
Salisbury/Nottm For v Charlton
Cardiff v Tottenham
Preston v Sunderland
Liverpool v Arsenal
Bristol Rovers/Bournemouth v Hereford
Watford v Stockport
Crystal Palace v Swindon
Bristol City v Coventry
Peterborough v Plymouth
QPR v Luton
Southend v Barnsley
West Brom v Leeds
Hull v Middlesbrough
Birmingham v Newcastle
Torquay/Leyton Orient v Southampton
Everton v Blackburn
Chelsea v Macclesfield
Stoke v Bradford/Millwall


Ties will be played on the 6 and 7 of January.

Watford preview

My preview that appeared in The Verdict section of today's Observer Sport:

This game gives us the opportunity to put back-to-back wins together for the first time in nearly forty games and in all honesty there aren't many fixtures that on paper provide an easier chance.

Watford have done well enough on their return to the Premiership and have turned in some decent performances - even if results haven't always reflected this - bit losing to Sheffield United in midweek was a setback.

Our win at Villa was certainly welcome and hopefully will be a springboard for us to put together a consistent run away as well as at home, where our form has been impressive throughout the season.

Watford's attack without Marlon King will not get much from our defence and I take us to with this 2-0.

DUE A BIG GAME: Giorgios Samaras. Partnership with Corradi is progressing well but he needs a goal.